I will never forget the first time I answered a phone call on behalf of the National Domestic Violence Hotline. I was covering the lines so that our staff could enjoy our annual holiday party. The call was from a microbiologist who was in an abusive relationship. She kept saying, “How did I get here? I am a smart woman. How could I be so stupid?” I remember wishing I could erase the blame, pain and shame she was feeling. I also remember thinking, “What can I say to give her hope? What can I say to help her see that she deserves better?”
Our trained advocates — those who dedicate their time to answering the calls, chats and texts we receive from people across the country — respond to hundreds of individuals in need each day. From a concerned parent or sister calling on behalf of a loved one, to a teenager asking whether it’s normal for his partner to monitor his phone constantly, each situation is different from the next.
In June, The Hotline answered its four millionth contact, which is one of four million conversations that our advocates have had with victims and survivors of domestic violence in need over the last 20 years. From my perspective, that number represents a large population of people hurting, and it reinforces that there is still work to be done. On the other hand, that number also represents the courage of so many people seeking help and resources.
To commemorate this milestone, we created the audio piece embedded below. You’ll hear examples of stories our advocates hear on a daily basis, representing the difficult realities of millions of people in our communities, and the hope we provide when they courageously choose to reach out.
Read more about it here: http://huff.to/2bLfHWO
The Family Law Guru is dedicated to providing aggressive, compassionate as well as being cost effective representation in the area of Family Law. For more information please call me at (909) 481-5350 or visit my website https://thefamilylawguru.com/